The Hidden, Brain Boosting Benefit Of Ibuprofen

Most people take Ibuprofen for pain relief. However, it may be doing more for their health than they think. Like preventing Alzheimer’s disease.

Dr. Patrick McGeer (the CEO of Aurin Biotech in Canada) and his colleagues sought to understand the effects of Ibuprofen on inflammation. The cause of the inflammation they were studying was an Alzheimers-related peptide.

Last year, McGeer and colleagues made a realization about a beta-amyloid peptide found in the body known as amyloid-beta 42 (or Abeta 42).

They found Abeta 42 in saliva, in addition to the brain. And they found there were higher levels of it in adults who are at a higher risk of Alzheimer’s.

These results gave McGeer and his colleagues confidence that a simple saliva test might be able to predict adults’ risk of Alzheimer’s, years before symptoms show themselves.

“What we’ve learned through our research,” reports Dr. McGeer, “is that people who are at risk of developing Alzheimer’s exhibit the same elevated Abeta 42 levels as people who already have it; moreover, they exhibit those elevated levels throughout their lifetime so, theoretically, they could get tested anytime.”

This research led McGeer and his colleagues to the conclusion that Ibuprofen may prevent Alzheimer’s in adults with high amounts of Abeta 42.

Their previous research shows that Abeta 42 triggers inflammation in the body. Their belief is that Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs may prevent this inflammation, thereby stopping Alzheimer’s in its tracks.

The team says that identifying the risk of Alzheimer’s through a saliva test would offer people the opportunity to prevent Alzheimer’s development through a daily dose of ibuprofen.

“Knowing that the prevalence of clinical Alzheimer’s disease commences at age 65,” explains Dr. McGeer, “we recommend that people get tested 10 years before, at age 55, when the onset of Alzheimer’s would typically begin.”

“If they exhibit elevated Abeta 42 levels then, that is the time to begin taking daily ibuprofen to ward off the disease.”